Watch: Protesters Attempt to Block Traffic, Harass Restaurant Patrons in Philadelphia
Protesters took to the streets of Philadelphia on Tuesday evening in response to President Trump’s visit to the city and attempted to block roads, weaving through traffic as part of the protest and interrupting restaurant patrons.
Demonstrators held signs and chanted “Trump Pence out now” in the streets in response to the president’s participation in a town hall event at the National Constitution Center. They reportedly attempted to block the highway and tried to stop a police vehicle moving in the same direction. According to the Daily Caller’s Shelby Talcott, demonstrators allowed the officer to continue on after he explained that he was doing so to ensure their safety:
Protesters head down the ramp towards the highway to try and block traffic in Philly pic.twitter.com/oCXbaK0Xi8
— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) September 16, 2020
Some people try to stop a police car from going down the ramp. They let him pass after he says over a speaker that he’s trying to get down to the highway to stop traffic so no one gets run over pic.twitter.com/x9LafCmGA3
— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) September 16, 2020
Nonetheless, another video shows protesters weaving through traffic in the city, which remained at a standstill. Some climbed on top of a bus stop as the crowd chanted, “This is what democracy looks like”:
PHILADELPHIA: Protesters have climbed bus stops to protest pic.twitter.com/B4KGnhFLH5
— Drew Hernandez (@livesmattershow) September 16, 2020
The crowd is marching through traffic around the city, which is now at a standstill pic.twitter.com/3IZwaiP8Bp
— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) September 16, 2020
PHILADELPHIA: BLM protesters have taken a knee to shut down an intersection and chant pic.twitter.com/Xt6fjF2vKH
— Drew Hernandez (@livesmattershow) September 16, 2020
PHILADELPHIA: BLM protesters attempted to take over the highway but were intercepted by police, surrounded, and forced to turn around pic.twitter.com/5KsqfeA3lV
— ELIJAH RIOT (@ElijahSchaffer) September 16, 2020
Another video shows protesters lecturing a group of restaurant patrons as an officer stands nearby:
PHILADELPHIA: BLM supporters have begun harassing white people eating dinner pic.twitter.com/rdPO4IPqno
— Drew Hernandez (@livesmattershow) September 16, 2020
PHILADELPHIA: A transgender BLM activist in black booty shorts rides a bike and leads the protesters
while screaming expletives through a micro megaphone with a crack in it
Earlier in the night this person called all Trump supporters devil worshippers pic.twitter.com/bvjs9GYDtg
— ELIJAH RIOT (@ElijahSchaffer) September 16, 2020
Trump supporters were among protesters earlier in the evening. Video shows one demonstrator, wearing a Trump mask, blazer, and pink underwear, seemingly attempting to taunt Trump supporters by stuffing the American flag in her underwear:
A woman in a Trump mask stands in front of some pro-Trump protesters and runs the American flag through the inside of her underwear: pic.twitter.com/cpZo5d6uT0
— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) September 15, 2020
During Tuesday’s town hall event, which triggered the protests, Trump defended his leadership style and explained that he is “fighting a lot of forces.”
“Sometimes you don’t have time to be totally, as you would say, ‘presidential.’ You have to get things done,” he said.
He also reiterated that his administration is focused on “law and order.”
“The Democrats are viewing this as a political issue, and I probably agree with them, I think it’s very bad for them, because we’re about law and order,” he said.
“We have to be about law and order otherwise you’re going to see your cities burn. And that’s the way it is, if we can do a plan like Tim Scott’s plan which is really — it goes far enough, but it doesn’t take the dignity away from our police,” Trump added:
Pressed on what he would do about the disproportionate number of Black Americans killed by police, Pres. Trump tells @GStephanopoulos, the police "have done generally a great job,” but some “choke under pressure” and “make the wrong decision.” https://t.co/Uq4PYZysK5pic.twitter.com/9a91Dotcx2
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) September 16, 2020